Little White Rose
by a-snowflake-in-a-blizzard
Summary: Malifica Snow, granddaughter of President Snow, is forced to move to the Capitol after both her parents are taken away by Peacekeepers outside her home in District 7. She'll have to leave everything behind, especially her best friend Johanna Mason. While at the Capitol, a hatred for her grandfather grows as the Quarter Quell commences with many other obstacles to overcome.
1. Chapter 1

"Mom!" is all I can hear myself say. She didnt mean to get him mad. No she didnt. She would never do that to the president of Panem. She would never do that to her father. He came for a "special visit". Hard to believe he would leave the luxuries of the Capitol to spend the weekend to be with his daughter and her family for a "special visit". It was a surprise, of course, mother never talks about him. I only know of him from history class. She hasnt seen him since she ran away from home to District 7 when she was 18. He just came this morning, mom answered the door as I watched from the staircase to see who it was. She opened the door and her face seemed to have flushed with full anger. When she saw it was him, she clenched her fist tightly and threw a punch at him to his jaw. The hit almost knocks him to the ground. He grabs the side of the door, clenching his jaw that is now swelling. Mom's wedding ring scraped his jaw and left a long line that is now leaking blood. She didnt stop there. As he tried to recover from the hit, mom kicked him in the stomach and he fell onto the ground hard. His back collapses as he tries to gain his strength again, but he isnt fast enough. I climb down a few more steps to get a better view and see my mother throwing more hits at him. Thats when the Peacekeepers saw mom beating him to death.

When the Peacekeepers running to the scene caught my eye, I ran down the stairs. "Mom!" I guess I screamed that loud because a second later, my oldest brother Dylan comes running after me with my two other older brothers Marcus and Zayn and older sister Zakora coming behind. I stop suddenly at the entrance of the front door as I see the Peacekeepers strangling my mother off of my grandfather. Why would she do this to him? I try to catch a glimpse of Snow to see what damage she has done but the Peacekeepers dragging her away grabs my attention first. I run towards her but a pair of arms hold me back. I look up and see Dylan holding onto me. I struggle around as does my mother in the Peacekeepers' arms. Snow, my grandfather, stands up and walks infront of my mother with a limp. "You shouldnt have done that. Escaping from the Capitol and districts is illegal. Especially harming the president." He hisses and she spits at him. "Dont touch my children or I'll make sure next time, I kill you!" Her focus shifts from her father to the sight of Dylan holding me down from running to save her. The Peacekeepers grip her arms tighter and pull her away from him. When my brother feels that I have calmed, he lets go and I sprint towards her.

"Malifica!" He calls for me but I ignore him. Mom lunges towards me and I am enfolded in her arms. I can feel the heat from the sweat of escaping from the grasp of the Peacekeepers.

"Dont let him torment you like he did to me. Dont trust him! He deserves to die!" That last part the Peacekeepers pull her away from me. She tries to break free but they hold her down. Snow talks to her as if he isnt bleeding to death.

"You're as good as an Avox now. I hope you enjoyed those last few words." Tears fill my eyes. I know I probably wont see her again. They took away my father for picking a fight with the head Peacekeeper, Filnus, and now they will probably do worse to my mother. Picking fights with Peacekeepers is one thing, but almost killing the president is probably the worse it can get. "Mom" Is what escapes my lips and all I can hear now is the Peacekeepers and Filnus yelling at my mother and her grunts of her failed attempts to escape.

I turn my head to where my siblings stand behind me. Their faces dont show emotion. None of them run to me to carry me away inside. They focus on something in my direction. I turn back around and infront of me stands the man that my mother has hated her whole life, who if she lives will probably plan his death. He kneels to reach eye level with me. I can smell a strong stench of roses and blood. The blood in some way overpowering the roses. The right corner of his face with claw marks and top left corner, a crease with dried blood on it. His white hair and beard with dirt on his. His puffy lips with blood starting to coat it. He reaches his hand towards my face and I wince my small eyes as his fingers wipe my tears. His focus doesnt leave my eyes. I can hear small footsteps coming from behind me. My brothers probably close behind me, ready to carry me away from this man. He takes his hand away from my face. I stand still and my tears continue to slowly come from my eyes.

"What a beautiful granddaughter your mother has left me." His warm breaths fill the air around us. A drop of blood trickles from the cut on his face. "Such youth." He stands up and I turn to my siblings who have been right behind me this whole time.

"We leave for the Capitol tomorrow evening. I expect you all to be ready for a long journey." He tells us and three Peacekeepers come and pick up his luggage and they make their way to the Victor's Village which is probably the closest to luxury he will find here in District 7. Zakora kneels down and opens her arms to me. I dont hesitate and run into them. I wrap my small arms around her neck and hers wrap around me. I squeeze her and she picks me up as I dig my face into her shoulder. She turns to the house along with my brothers and we start to walk back. I peek my eyes out to catch a glimpse at the old wooden cabin next to the woods and then shut them again. My brothers pat my back and we enter the doorway, waiting for what tomorrow will bring us.


	2. Chapter 2

The rays of the sun hit my eyes and force them open. I sit up from the covers of my bed and gently rub my eyes. I look around my room, the creaky door is closed but my window is open a crack big enough for me to fit through. I jump out of bed and pull on my small leather boots. Some logs lay next to the burning fireplace. I rush to them and drag them towards the windowsill. The house is so quiet, I hear my brothers snoring in their rooms upstairs. Zakora doing the same. The floor underneath creaks at each step I take with the log dragging against the wooden floor. I push the logs against the wall in a pile. I grab onto them, careful not to get a splinter, and make my way up the stairs I formed and to the window opening. I pull myself up to the top and push the window open with more force and it opens a crack more, big enough to fit through. I bring my leg to hang from the other side of the sill and push myself up. I slide my thin body throw the crack and force my head to do the same. I prop my legs to swing to the other side of the windowsill. My hands stay with its grips and I let go and jump to the ground not so down below me.

The rough dirt hits the bottom of my boots hard when they reach contact. I turn towards the woods and see the old wooden cabin next to the darkened forest. I run quickly, my feet moving fast. The sunrise is just coming in and I can see the sun coming up from hiding behind the trees. I stumble over a big rock and trip my way to the front steps of the cabin. I softly climb up the stairs and stand infront of the door, a crack of it is opened so with both hands I quietly push the door.

The inside of the one-room is dark, the familiar smell of lumber seeping into my nose. I turn around and reach for the high doorknob and close the door shut slowly. I turn back to the room as something in the shadows of the corner jumps out and tackles me towards the wall. It brings me under the sill of a window facing the woods being covered by the sun shine. A hand is gently put over my mouth and the light from the sun reflects on the face of the figure.

"Johanna!" I smile, looking up at the only woman that understands me and I trust. Her black hair covers one side of her face. She hears me call her and she places her hand on my mouth again. Bringing her index finger to her lips, she shushes me and helps me sit up. She crouches infront of the window and peeks her eyes out. I do the same and stand in front of the window and look outside.

"What is it?" I whisper to her. She points to the trees and responds softly. "The monster." I gasp and look out, scared of seeing a ferocious beast come at us. I turn to Johanna.

"What do we do?" I ask worriedly. Her hand pulls the hair from her face behind her ear, she takes a rubber band from her wrist and ties her hair up in a messy bun.

"We..." From her left, she pulls out my small wooden axe she made me 3 years ago and hands it to me. She grabs her own and grips it in one hand and narrows her eyes outside the window. "Attack!" She yells and flicks the window open and jumps out of it and sprints toward the closest tree. I climb up, following her. My axe stays in my hand as my feet dangle from the windowsill. My feet hit the ground and I raise my axe like her and let out a yell similar to hers. She brings the axe behind her neck and swings it hard into the bark of the tree. The blade stays deep inside the trunk, almost halfway. Johanna is strong, one of the strongest people I've ever seen. She can even beat all three of my brothers at arm wrestling. Zakora told me that Johanna once won a match against my dad in less than ten seconds, his muscles twice the size of any man's in the district.

She grins at her success with her weapon and stands next to the tree to watch how it turns out for me. "Get 'em, squirt!" She calls out and I swing my axe, the blade pointing to the wood. The axe makes contact with the trunk and it does nothing else but scrape the bark. Johanna folds her arms and tries to hide her smile but she cant help it and she bursts into laughter. My face turns red and I yell out a battle cry and aim my axe for her. Still laughing, Johanna starts to run from me, every once in a while, hiding behind a tree then keeps going. I whack a tree she was hiding behind and only the tip of the blade stays inside the tree. Johanna sees the hit and paralyzes herself where she stands and dramatically puts her hands over her heart.

"You got me!" She lets out and collapses to the dirt. I giggle and sit next to her head, her eyes shut and her tongue sticking out of her mouth.

"Did we get the monster?" I ask her. She slowly opens one eye and looks around the woods.

"I think we got him." She whispers then suddenly sits up straight.

She grabs a nearby twig and snaps it in half. "Oh no! He's back! Climb on fast!" She picks me up and throws me onto her back, I wrap my arms tightly around her neck and we run to where a patch of trees crowd closely together. One of the trunks of the trees has a ladder which leads to our secret club house. She grabs onto the ropes of the ladder and crawls up without any sign of tiredness. Johanna slings me over her back and walks on the floor of branches ontop of the tree.

She sets me down and I can see through the small twigs of leaves the whole forest. A sea of different shades of green sweep below us, white puffs of clouds start to fill the crystal blue sky. The district buildings cover the farthest end of the horizon. Johanna sits next to me and picks me up from my under arms and places me on her lap. She crosses her legs and wraps her arms around me as if I were her own child. I dont think I've been any closer to anyone like I am with Johanna. She is a second mother to me. I tell her everything that happens and she always finds a way to make me smile. Others see her as tough, emotionless, damaged, and full of hate just from her look. But in the inside, she is a warm, caring, loving woman who has no one else in this world but me. And I'm glad that I have her because she needs the youth of a child in her life.

She needs someone to remind her that there's something worth going on for, that someone does care about her and will always be there for her. But that will all change when I have to tell her the news that I will be moving to the Capitol with my grandfather and probably never see her ever again.


	3. Chapter 3

As I tell Johanna about the news of me moving to the Capitol, she stares off at the whole district. Her face shows no emotion. She holds me in the same position as she put me and doesn't move until I mention my grandfather. Her head snaps towards me with a look of concern and hate. "Snow? What does he want from you?" She adjusts me so that I face her now infront of her. I take my black hair into my fingers and twine them both together. I start to sniff and my eyes get watery, remembering about what happened yesterday morning.

"They took my mom, like they did with dad. But I'm pretty sure I won't see her ever again." I stiffle and try to hold back the tears. I stare down at the wooden branches that form the floor and hug my arms together. Johanna reaches her arms out to me and picks me up again and craddles me in her arms.

"Oh, baby girl, its alright. I dont blame your mom, I would've done the same thing if he showed up at my cabin. You'll see her again." She nestles me close to her. I can feel her warmth and hear her soothing heart, calming me at each beat. She raises one hand and with her thumb, wipes the tears from my eyes.

"After the Peacekeepers took her away," I sniff. "he told us that he will be bringing us to the Capitol to live with him. What if...what if I dont see you again either?" Johanna lowers her head to face me, I can tell she isnt taking this well. What will happen when I leave? Who will look after her? What will happen to her? My tears start to come again at the thought of losing practically everyone I love. She brushes her hand through my long, dark hair. "No, no, baby, dont think that way. Of course you'll see me again." She gives me a warm smile, my piercing grey eyes staring into hers. I hold up my hand and stick up my small pinky finger. "Promise?" She does the same and locks her finger with mine. With our fingers still locked, she brings down our hands and plants a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Promise."  
The luggage bag that my grandfather's Peacekeepers have given us lays ontop of my bed, filled with all my clothes and belongings. Since I'm done packing, I sit by the fireplace, collecting its warmth. I close my arms around me to secure the warmth inside my body. The light from the fire shines onto the item around my neck. I pull my hands to the back of my neck and unclip the lace. I hold out the necklace in my hand and study the pendant in the center. Its in the form of a circle, at the bottom, the letter C with a small crown ontop, signifying that it resembles the Capitol. The bird of the Capitol symbol with opened wings spreads itself in the center. The light silver copper reflects the light of the fire onto the wall infront. This necklace is the only thing that was given to me by my grandfather. He didnt give it to me himself, it was a Christmas gift from him when I was one year old. Seeing that I still have it after seven years, I feel that this just shows that I am owned by Panem, owned by the Capitol, owned by President Snow. But they dont own me. And no matter what happens in the Capitol, they wont change me, I wont follow their ways. I wont give in to anything they make me do.  
I grasp the handle of the luggage as I try to pull it from my bed. I keep pulling onto it until it smacks onto the wooden floor with a big creak. I grip the handle again and try to pull it out of my room but my fraile arms can't bear the weight. I look outside and see that the sunset is almost over and it will soon be time for us to leave. I continue my fail attempts of carrying it when my third oldest sibling, Zayn, walks in. He looks at the big luggage and chuckles. "You're not that strong yet, kid." He exclaims. I let go of the handle and watch him as he easily swings the luggage over his shoulder using only one hand. I roll my eyes at him as he shows his strength. "Not everyone is as strong as you, you know." He grins at me as I make my way with him out my bedroom. "I know." I stick my tongue out at him and he responds back doing the same. He drops the luggage in our living room and leaves upstairs to get his belongings. I run to the window and settle my arms on the sill. I look outside for any sign of Johanna but there's no luck. I hear footsteps behind me but I don't turn around, I lean my head onto my arms.

"Who're you looking for?" I hear Zakora's voice behind me. "Johanna." My eyes still wandering outside. Zakora stands next to me and looks outside aswell. I turn my head to her. "Who are you looking for?" I ask.

"Just...someone." She responds, not leaving her focus from out the window.

"Who? Your boyfriend?" I exclaim teasingly. She glares at me and rolls her eyes as she walks to the couch. I hear loud stomps coming down the stairs and find Zayn and Marcus wrestling each other as they make their way down. Zakora crosses her arms as she sits down. "Would you two quit it?" Dylan walks down the staircase behind them with a straight face on. When he reaches them, he merely puts his hands on their heads and push them away roughly as he continues his path between them. I lean myself against the wall as I tie my hair up. Zakora stands up as Dylan passes her.

"Dyl, do we really have to leave with him? I mean we can just stay here. We can take care of ourselves. Why do we need to listen to him?" She gestures out the door as if our grandfather was standing there. Dylan stops himself in his path and his head snaps towards Zakora.

"Yes, Zakora, we really do need to leave with him. We can't disobey him." Zakora rolls her eyes at him. "He's not our dad, he doesnt own us." Dylan starts walking to her, his face shows he is furious by what she had said. "Well, that man can tell us whatever the hell he wants and we have to listen. He took our parents away so now the custody of us goes to him. We have no choice and if we disagree with what he wants then we get severe consequences. His word is law and we follow it. If you dont want him hurting you, or her," He points to me without leaving his eye contact with Zakora. "or those two knuckleheads," He points to Zayn and Marcus who have now stopped fighting to listen to him. "then I suggest you shut your mouth and do as you are told." His final words echoe in the room and he storms upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him. Marcus is the first to break the silence.

"What's his deal?" We all look at each other, our faces blank. Zayn cracks a small laugh. "Hormones?" Zakora leaves her stance and walks into the kitchen without a word. Marcus grabs Zayn and puts him in a headlock. Zayn's fist attempting to reach Marcus' jaw. "Stupid." Marcus smirks. I look out to the window again, leaving my attention from the fight. I raise my head as I see four figures coming towards the house. Peacekeepers.

Dylan stomps down the stairs and walks straight to the door and grips the knob with his strong hand. He swings the door open, his luggage in his hand, and faces us. "Time to go."


	4. Chapter 4

The Peacekeepers dont insist on carrying our luggages, they form a diamond shape around us as we walk to the train station. The smell of lumber and wood fills the air as we walk into the square. I keep looking around anxiously to find Johanna. Was what happened this morning really going to be the last time I ever see her? Was her promise going to be her last to me?

Up ahead, I see three boys, my age, playing kick ball in the center of the square. Their eyes all shift towards the band of Peacekeepers surrounding us and they pick up their ball and run to the side of a building, hiding yet still watching us. I can still see the boys in the shadows, one of their faces being visible from the light of the lamp posts. The boy's eyes lock with mine and by his glare to me, its obvious he knows what family I belong to. I shift my focus away and can see the bright lights of the train station ahead. I grip the handle of my luggage and haul it towards the steps of the station. Rusty, old-looking trains line up onto the rail as people enter and exit them, pulling in barrels of logs and pushing out empty barrels. A line of silver lamp post cross the station, being the only source of light in the dark evening.

I stand next to the edge, below showing the train tracks. My siblings do the same as the Peacekeepers get us our train tickets. I slide my leather luggage bag under me and sit ontop as I wait. A glowing white wagon appears at the entrance of the train station. A Peacekeeper approaches it and opens the door, revealing my grandfather in a navy blue suit with his perfect white hair brushed back, his puffy lips seem to naturally be like that, and a white rose right over his heart. Two Peacekeepers come up to him and take his luggages. I pull my hands back from under my chin as I see a figure leaning against the nearest lamp post.

"Think I wouldnt come to say goodbye to you, squirt?" My lips curve into a smile. "Johanna!" I stand up quickly and rush over to her. Between my path is Snow's Peacekeepers. I run past them to the right and hit my shoulder with someone behind them. I ignore the person and wrap my arms around Johanna's neck as she places one arm around my back and picks me up. She looks up behind me and her face stays serious. I turn to where she looks and see that I bumped into my grandfather. He paused for a moment, exchanging his gaze back to Johanna. She moves her eyes back to mine and smiles with me.

"Look at you! Ready to hit the big city, kid?" I nod in response. Seeing Johanna again before I leave makes me feel safe that I am in her arms this one last time. I am about to tell her how happy I am to see her when a group of men whiz past us and their eyes are glued to a screen between two lamp post.

"Its the finale! C'mon, Cato! Win! I cant lose this bet!" The men clang what sounds like coins in their hand. I look to the screen and see three people fighting, one girl and two boys. The girl and one of the boys look Zakora's age and the boy they are fighting looks Dylan's age. The boy the man says is Cato has blood coating his face. The girl has a bow in her hands and the two seem to be wrestling the boy as barking echoes in the background. Johanna looks to where my attention is. Her face is serious but I can tell that she knows whats going on on the screen and she gently moves my face to face hers as her hand is under my chin.

"I don't want you to be looking at that kind of stuff, ok?" I look back at her, searching her dark eyes.

"What is that?" I ask confused, her eyes wander the ground. "Its nothing. Nothing you should be worrying about." She gives me a small smile. I hear the tracks of a train coming up, I turn my head and see a white train, the same glow as the wagon, stopping at the station. Marcus grips both his luggage and mine in his hands. "C'mon, shorty." I turn back to Johanna and notice she was already looking at me, her face looks so sad. She brings her hand behind my head and pulls me into a long hug. I can hear her breathing going deeper and slower. I dig my face into her shoulder. "Hey," she calls, her voice starting to crack. "its gonna be ok." She gives a warm smile as I hear Zakora calling me. Johanna sets me down onto floor and she kneels to reach eye level. She places a hand on my shoulder and tells me "I'll see you soon, kid." I lunge into her for one last embrace. She slides her hand off my shoulder as a new hand replaces hers. "Its time to leave." I hear a low voice tell me from above. I look up and see his white beard pressing his suit as he looks down to me. Johanna glances to him then looks back at me. She gives me a light nudge on my arm and grins. She stands back up as Snow leads me towards the train. He enters first and walks inside a room. I stand behind the door as it shuts infront of me. I peek through the window and see her come close to the train and waves to me. I raise my hand and starts waving back. She rubs her eye as the train starts its engines and slowly starts to move on the tracks. She walks along side the train and continues to wave. The train accelerates and she starts to pick up speed. I press my face to the window and give her a final wave as she stops running and I can no longer see her, the train station, or District 7. Zayn comes from behind and puts his hand on the top of my head. "Bedtime, we got a big day tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

It has been a whole year that I have been here in the Capitol. It took a while to get used to all the unusual looks of the citizens. The dyed skins, colored hairs, circus-like outfits. It was like being in a whole different world. A circus world. My maids tried to get me to get into the Capitol accent but I wouldn't allow it. My new bedroom in President Snow's mansion has a beautiful view of his magnificent garden. I go to the garden once in a while when I feel that I dont have anything to do. I'm not aloud outside of the mansion unless I am in the garden or going to some important business of my grandfather. I spend time also in the screening room where I see my grandfather on the news a lot, being interviewed about "the bright new ideas he has for our great nation."

But where I spend most of my time is in the training center. Ever since the first week we have came, we were trained everyday for 3 hours on how to use the weapons there. No survival skills, no snare traps, no weaponry knowledge and its background, just how to fight. I have become fond of the throwing blades. My brothers have all gotten used to the tridents and swords. Zakora has always been eying the axes we have for every training session. My skills with the axe have improved a lot, with the help of my knowledge from what Johanna has taught me. Our trainer, Atala, also has explained in our breaks about the Hunger Games. Apparently, my brothers and sister already knew about it but of course I'm the one left dumb, not know a thing about what we are discussing. But after the exchanging of stories of previous Games they have seen, I have gotten to learn a lot about it. I asked Atala about the victors who are still alive from my district to see if I have met any of them or him or her. She tells me that there are only two victors alive in District 7, a drunk man who won the 59th Games and a totally damaged woman. I asked for both their names, but when she tells me the male's name I completely ignore because the female victor's name is Johanna.

"Johanna? As in Johanna Mason?"

"Yep, thats the one." She responds, sharpening a knife. "She was a tough one, that Johanna. Won her Games by showing at first that she was weak and was no threat at all. But when it finally got to the arena, she was a ferocious killing machine. No one saw it coming, it was brilliant."

I tried to imagine a young Johanna, fighting the other tributes, swinging her axe deep into their skin. How shattered she must have been from all the violence when she returned home. No wonder people gave her glares when we walked together in the square.

I couldnt neccessarily get the thought out of my head that a new Games will begin in less than two weeks. Today was the day that Snow had to pick at random how this year will go. This year is the 75th Games, a Quarter Quell, meaning that there will be a twist of some kind. Last Quarter Quell, it was double the amount of tributes. This year, it can be anything. My siblings and I were forced to go to the ceremony. We were all dressed up, one of Snow's Capitol friends, a stylist, picked out my dress for me, a Capitol dress, of course, but thankfully, it was a design from District 8 so it wasnt so eye-popping and exotic.

As Snow's hand swam around the box, looking for a clip of paper to choose, I clenched my hands into a fist. I cant imagine who would create something so unhumane, forcing children to fight and kill each other until one is left. It sickens me, and now knowing about the Games, the thought of a new group of innocent children being put into an arena to fight makes me want to punch Snow in the gut. He finally finds a slip that he seems to want and unfolds it in his hands. He clears his throat as he reads the paper.

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors." At first, I dont understand a single word, it sounds complicated.

I look up at Zakora with my eyebrows knit together, but she stays with her eyes fixated on Snow. But then it starts to seep in. The rebels trying to take control of Panem but were unsuccessful, the living victors will be brought back, to suffer again. Then it hits me, and it hits me hard. I have to hold onto Dylan's arm to keep me from falling back into my seat. My eyes search the floor, hoping this all isnt real. It cant be, she couldnt, she cant.  
Johanna is going back into the arena.


	6. Chapter 6

"You did it on purpose! You rigged it!" I pace around the room as Snow takes a sip from his tea cup. He sits straight in the couch as I let my anger out at him.

"I had to, Malifica. It was the only thing I could've done." His voice start to raise and get louder. "Do you want the rebels to be storming into the Capitol, knowing that we mean no harm anymore? I do this to keep you safe."

"Keep me safe." I scoff. "This is about Katniss, isnt it? You just want to make sure she dies in that arena so that you wont have to worry about her coming after you! You're afraid of her because of what's she's done!" I cross my arms as our piercing grey eyes meet each other. He places the cup onto the coffee table and stands up in less than a second. Snow starts to walk in my direction, his hands behind his back. I stand still in one place and scrinch up my nose as the strong scent of roses covers the air around me. He stops as he stands right infront of me, staring at my face.

"I do what I can to keep my family and people safe. I do what is best." I roll my eyes at him.

"Its just about you. You dont care about anyone else." I scoff. "I hope Katniss makes it out of the arena. To come for you." I yell at him.

His face turns red and he pulls one hand from behind his back and raises it infront of him. He brings it down quickly and it slaps me across the face. His palm presses hard against my cheek. Anger fills in his eyes as the right side of my face turns red. I bring both hands to cover the burning pain from my cheek. My eyes start to water as he brings his hand back behind him. He stares into my eyes, his still filled with anger but now with disappointment.

"You're just like your mother. Stubborn, arrogant, but yet so brave." He snarls to me. I ignore him and rush out of the room. I make my way down the steps of the entrance hall and open the door slowly so no one hears me.

The warm air breezes past me as I walk along the dirt path of the city. I can see the training center just a block away. I hurry my feet against the cement sidewalk. I run to the back doors of the center and enter inside. I look around the grey walls and look for an entrance to the main training hall. I can hear the clanging of weapons clashing together. The grunts of the tributes wrestling with their trainers. I run up to a big glass wall that sees over the whole center. I can see adults in training suits, climbing, creating snares, in combat, and others. I search around the room for Johanna but I cant seem to find her. I move more closer around the wall, searching for a door to let me in. I keep my eyes on the tributes as I spot a familiar face. The woman is just a year older than when I first saw her on the screen that night at the train station. Her dark brown hair pulled back into a braid as she makes snares while talking to some other tributes. She looks around too as if she is looking for someone aswell.

As her eyes pass around the room, she sees me through the glass and her grey eyes meet mine. I stare back at her when I finally spot Johanna. Her hair is pulled back carelessly and she is at the axe station, swinging it at the dummies, cutting through them as if they were butter.

"Johanna!" I yell through the glass. I try to grab her attention and keep calling her name. I look back to Katniss and she looks to where I was calling at. She sees it is Johanna and looks back at me, I ignore her and continue calling Johanna. I just want to talk to her again. I want to see her. Before I can call her name again, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around and see two Peacekeepers. "Nice try, kid." One of them say. Busted.

The Peacekeepers ring the doorbell as they grip onto my shoulders. The door swings open and the last person I want to see right now glares down at me. "We caught her trying to talk with one of the tributes, Mr. President." They push me into the house and Snow closes the door behind me. I glare at him as his eyes are glued to me, his head turning red with anger.

"What have I told you about the leaving the mansion?" He snatches at my left arm and clenches it tightly, almost cutting the flow of blood from my arm. He drags me up the stairs and pulls me to the dormitory corridor. Snow yanks open my bedroom door and pushes me inside. I stumble into the room as he slams the door shut, a clinking sound that tells me he has locked the door. I run to my bed, ignoring the Avoxes in each corner of the room and I grab a small pillow from the matress and scream into it. I stuff my face into the pile of pillows and yell, trying to take out my anger.

"And you stay in there until you learn to respect your grandfather!" He tells me from behind the door. I sit up straight, my face bright red. I grab the biggest pillow and throw it viciously and it hits the door. One of the avoxes rush to the door and picks up the pillow, rushing to the bed and puts it back in the pile, then returning to her spot in the corner.

I take away some of the pillows from the pile and hide myself under and dump the remaining pillows ontop of me. I hug my knees to my chest and sniff repeatedly. All I want is to be able to protect the people I love and care about. To make sure no harm comes to them, and now, with my mother taken away from me, Johanna is all I have left. The Games start in less than three days, how will I handle watching her fight for her life in the arena? She has to come back home alive, she has to. And I know she will because she made a promise to me that we will see each other again and she never breaks her promises.


	7. Chapter 7

The cold water splashes onto my soft skin, my fingers glide onto the handles and turn off the flowing water. The stylists have just left after pulling me into my dress for tonight. In a few hours, all the tributes will begin their interviews with Caesar Flickerman on live television, and being the grandchildren of the president of Panem, my presence is required.  
I have an hour to spare until we are called down to the front door to head to the Ceremony Hall. I pace around my room, my bare feet making creeking noises as it makes contact with the wooden floor. I look around my room and examine every detail. Across from the doorway is my Victorian-style bed with its green lace covers, reminding me of the color of the leaves in the woods. On the left is the door to the bathroom, my wooden dresser filled with clothes and a closet with dresses and shoes next to it. On the right, a big window, ceiling to floor, showing the beautiful rose garden, dark purple curtains drape on the sides. Paintings of forests hang on the walls, the most Snow can do to remind me of home, one painting above my bed is the portrait of my family from the living room wall of our wooden house in District 7.

The painting made on my fourth birthday, everyone wearing casual clothes. My jet black hair is pulled up into a ponytail with my freckles scattered across my smiling face as my piercing grey eyes look at Marcus, Zayn carrying me ontop of his shoulders. Marcus' short brown hair is combed to the side, his dark brown eyes looking back at me with a grin. Zayn's curly dark brown hair is a mess on his head as Zakora smoothes her hand ontop of it with a smirk. Zayn and Zakora's brown eyes meeting each other, Zayn's fingers entangling into Zakora's black hair. My father, as well as Marcus, his short brown hair is combed as his arm is wrapped around mom's waist, planting a kiss on her cheek as Marcus and dad have their arms on the other's shoulders. Mom's black hair wrapped in a braid as her grey eyes look at my father as she shows a warm smile, her right hand on his chest. Dylan's wavy black hair flows to the side, his grey eyes looking up at me, his elbow on Zakora's shoulder with a grin covering his face. The family in the painting seems perfect, loving, the kind any child would ask for.

The warm glow is unrecognizable to me, this once perfect family, now broken and damaged. A tear falls from my eye, I wipe my eyes gently, stopping myself from getting teary. I wrap my arms around my waist and walk to the dresser.  
I grab a tissue and look at myself in the mirror, dabbing my cheeks from the water trying to escape my eyes. I set the tissue down and look at myself in the mirror, look at the room behind me in the reflection. This isn't where I belong, not even close. Nothing here reminds me of home, not even the family painting, it tortures me, leaving me to wonder how it could have been.

I set the tissue on the counter of the dresser and look up and see the Avox in the corner where she always is. But instead of keeping her focus on the floor, awaiting for a call of assistance, she is looking up.  
I look from the mirror to look at what she is seeing. Her sad eyes are on the painting, as if she has seen it before and brings back thoughts. A streak of water has fallen from her eye, a small smile curls on her black-lipstick lips. I turn around quickly to face her and I start to walk to her, she suddenly lowers her eyes back to the floor but she knows I have seen her. As I move closer, her feet start to shift as if she is nervous, I slowly make my way infront of her and she gives up her focus from the floor. Her eyes slowly look up to meet mine and I look at her face. Her red hair looks obvious that it has been dyed, black streaks come from the crown of her head, her pale face has been powdered to look like so, but her eyes have not changed their appearance.

They are still how they must have looked before, piercing grey eyes. I look into them and turn my head towards the painting and I look back at her with a gasp. A tear rolls down my cheek.

"Mom?"


	8. Announcement! (midterms hiatus)

**Hey everyone. I'm sorry if you were expecting this to be a new chapter. I want a new one out already as much as you guys do. Next week I'm having midterm (shoot me) so I'm going to be on a bit of a hiatus. **

**I ****_promise and cross my heart_**** that I'll get chapter 8 out after next week. Hang tight, guys and thank you soooo much for reading!**


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